Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has launched the Benefits Package and Tariffs Advisory Panel to enhance Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Kenya. The panel will guide the design and review of healthcare benefits and tariffs under the Social Health Insurance framework.
Gazetted on April 23, 2025, through notice 5044, the panel includes experts from various sectors and is based at the University of Nairobi’s College of Health Sciences. It will ensure that healthcare interventions remain cost-effective, evidence-based, and equitable. Specifically, the panel will shape health benefits, update them according to disease patterns, and regulate treatment costs.
At the inauguration, Duale reaffirmed the government’s commitment to expanding healthcare access. He urged the panel to tackle pressing issues such as high treatment costs, inadequate health data, and unsustainable financing models. Additionally, he emphasized the need to integrate donor-funded programs and refine outpatient and inpatient service models.
“This panel is key to ensuring that our UHC offerings align with national needs, remain affordable, and support financial sustainability,” Duale stated. “Our mission is to provide healthcare that truly leaves no one behind.”
The Secretariat will be housed at the University of Nairobi’s College of Health Sciences, reinforcing collaboration between government, academia, civil society, and private stakeholders.
The panel will convene at least twice a year to assess health service models and recommend necessary updates. Duale assured full government support, saying, “Let’s make sure our benefits and tariffs are inclusive, data-driven, cost-effective, and sustainable.”
Principal Secretaries Dr. Ouma Oluga (Medical Services) and Ms. Mary Muthoni (Public Health Professional Standards) joined Duale at the event, alongside senior officials and representatives from the health sector.
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